Hurricane Irene 2011

Cloe Poisson, Hartford Courant

Shayna Weinstein gets a hug from her dad, Andy Weinstein, as they mourn the loss of their summer cottage (at right in background) on Cosey Beach in East Haven, that was destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene on Sunday. The storm, which completely flattened the house, struck on Shayna's 16th birthday. "It's the worst birthday I've ever had," she said. The Weinsteins live in Woodbridge.

Shayna Weinstein gets a hug from her dad, Andy Weinstein, as they mourn the loss of their summer cottage (at right in background) on Cosey Beach in East Haven, that was destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene on Sunday. The storm, which completely flattened the house, struck on Shayna's 16th birthday. "It's the worst birthday I've ever had," she said. The Weinsteins live in Woodbridge. (Cloe Poisson, Hartford Courant)

Shayna Weinstein gets a hug from her dad, Andy Weinstein, as they mourn the loss of their summer cottage (at right in background) on Cosey Beach in East Haven, that was destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene on Sunday. The storm, which completely flattened the house, struck on Shayna's 16th birthday. "It's the worst birthday I've ever had," she said. The Weinsteins live in Woodbridge.